DIY Crossfit Home Workouts for Busy Moms

Being a mother does not automatically resign you to being dowdy or frumpy. If you are looking for a super effective way to tighten up the remnants of your baby belly while toning all of your body, the DIY CrossFit home workouts for busy moms is your best bet.

One of the fastest and most effective ways to see real results on the scales and in the mirror is through CrossFit and best of all, you can do the workouts from home without any special equipment or space required – just make sure there are no Legos on the floor!

Crossfit makes use of various high-intensity functional movement to burn fat, tone muscle and build cardiovascular fitness. This style of exercise is taking the world by storm, because quite simply, it gives results.

But, let’s be honest here, in between getting kids to soccer practice, making sure there is stuff in the fridge for school lunches, getting kids bathed and fed and homework was done, there is little time to hit up the gym.

If you are a working mom who is trying to fit in the demands of a job while keeping the family’s organizational head above water, proposing a gym membership on top of that is laughable. Organizing a regular slot of time for yourself requires military-like strategy, and who has the energy for all that when it is not really necessary?

DIY CrossFit home workouts for busy moms, however, make it possible for you to get all the necessary day to day stuff done and then do something for your own health and well-being – working out from home.

Stick to the following program, and you are likely to see results after only a couple of weeks. So get ready to kiss goodbye to the dimples and jiggly bits.

Below you will find a seven-day workout plan for you to follow from the comfort of your own home with very little in the way of equipment or space required, so even if you are short on time, space and equipment, you can get the job done and reap the benefits.

When you do the same workout or exercise day in day out, your body becomes accustomed to it and your progress plateaus. One of the secrets to the success of DIY CrossFit home workouts for moms is that the workout of the day changes the moves and the number of reps required. This means that your body is constantly being challenged and this leads to more calories being burned and more muscles being toned.

Before you get Started: Newbie Tips for Success

Watch what you eat – your nutrition has even more of an effect on your body than your workout. It is, therefore, essential that you are eating healthily, ensuring that you are getting enough good food to give you the energy you need, while not filling up on empty calories.

Push yourself, but know your limits – While all the exercises in the workout of the day (WOD) should be done as intensively as you can, you should also respect your current level of fitness and not push yourself to the extent that you are in danger of injuring yourself. If you are struggling, really struggling, to complete the reps or rounds of each exercise, do what you can and build up from there. Each WOD you do is moving you closer and closer to your fitness goals – celebrate that.

Watch your technique – ensure that you follow the technique so that you can enjoy maximum results and avoid straining muscles.

Have fun! – Blast some music, get yourself in a positive head space and go for it.

Movement and Technique Tips

Before you get started on your CrossFit challenge, it is important to understand the key movements and how to do them correctly to avoid injury and to get the most from your workout.

Smashing the Situps

The situp is a classic move to work the abdominal muscles, but without the right technique you may strain your back, neck or even pelvic floor muscles. Follow these suggestions for safe and effective situps. Lie on your back, bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor about hip distance apart. Place your hands on the nape of your neck and ensure that your elbows are pointing outwards in line with your shoulders, not curled forwards towards your head.

Breathe in and, next, as you exhale, draw in your belly button towards your spine. As you do this lift your body up towards your thighs and stop when you reach a couple of inches from your legs. Inhale as you draw back down to your starting position.

Mastering Push ups

Get into the push-up position, with the balls of the feet on the ground and your legs stretched out behind you. Ensure that your hands are carefully placed in line with your shoulders – not above or below or this will place a strain on your body. Engage your core muscles and squeeze your glutes. Make sure that your glutes are not raised up but in line with the rest of your back.

Beware that at first, you may not have enough upper body strength to manage a regular push up. If you cannot yet do this, there are some adjustments that can be made as you build up to it.

Make Burpees Your Best Friend

Most people have a love-hate relationship with the burpee. This exercise simultaneously involves muscle tension and cardio, working just about every muscle group in your body. These will really challenge you, but they do so much good, you will love them anyway.

Start in a standing position, bend down as though you are going to touch your toes, but as you place your hands on the ground, shoot your legs out behind your into a plank position. Lower your body down into a push-up. As you come back up from the push-up, spring your feet back towards your hands. Once you reach this crouched position, you need to jump up vertically in an explosive movement, pushing with your legs and feet as hard as you can. As you jump, stretch your hands up above your head. This is one repetition.

Jump to It – Vertical Jumps and Jumping Jacks

Vertical jumps are the same as the final part of the burpee. Start with feet hip distance apart squat down and then jump with arms stretched upwards explosively.

Jumping Jacks – This classic exercise is pretty straightforward, but it is important that whenever your feet land either shoulder distance apart or together, that you are landing with bent legs. Otherwise, you can strain your back. Also, ensure that when you land with your legs apart, your knees should be in line with your toes, not inclined inwards, or this will place unnecessary strain on your knees.

Mastering the Mountain Climber

Mountain climbers are a wonderful whole body exercise that works a range of muscle groups and builds your cardiovascular fitness too. Begin as though you are going to do a push-up. Place your hand’s shoulder distance apart, directly under your shoulders and keep your arms straight. Your body should be in line with your glutes not raised above your back. Start by lifting your right foot off the ground and bring it up to your chest. Bring your right foot back to the starting position and then repeat the same movement with the left foot. Continue the movement alternating right and left feet.

Planking

To do the plank, you begin as though you are going to do a push-up, but instead of having your arms straight, you lower down onto your elbows. Feet should be hip distance apart, and your body should be aligned. To do this movement correctly, you need to engage your core to prevent your stomach sagging to the ground and tighten your glutes to resist sticking them up into the air.

Squats

The squat seems simple, but there are a couple of essential tips to know about. Start with your feet shoulder distance apart, with the toes pointed out ever so slightly. Tighten your core, but also keep in mind the natural curve of your lower back. Make sure that your knees do not roll in as you move your glutes back and down into the squat, keep them in line with the toes.

Acing Alternating Lunges

Start with your feet together. Inhale and step your right foot forward about three feet. As your right foot lands on the ground, bend the leg and bring the thigh down to become parallel with the ground. Ensure your knee is in line with your toes. Push up with your right leg and bring the left foot forward, repeating the movement on the other side.

Wall Sit – Start with leaning your back against a wall, step your feet out from the wall about two feet and place your feet about hip width apart. Slide your back down the wall until your legs are at a 90-degree angle. Make sure your knees are in line with your ankle and hold this seated position for the designated time.

Chair Dip

The chair dip is a great way to work the triceps and tone up the arms, back and chest. Get a stable chair, stand in front of it and face away from it. Sit down on the very edge of it and place your hands on the edge on either side of your hips. Lift your glutes off the seat and slightly forwards. Bending your arms and legs, slowly lower your body down towards the ground to a minimum angle of 90 degrees. Then in a controlled movement raise your body up to the starting position.

High Knees

High knee is a wonderful exercise for working the legs and abdominal muscle groups as well as increasing cardiovascular fitness. Start by standing straight with your feet hip distance apart. Basically, this is running on the spot, but you are trying to bring your legs up as high as you can with each movement.

Okay, now you are familiar with all the movements it is time to get started. Follow each of these routines each day as closely as you can. If you are unable to perform the exercises at a fast and dynamic pace, then continue at a pace you can manage. However, it is important that you stick to continuing the exercises for the designated time periods or that you complete the number of rounds set out for you.

Monday – As Many Rounds as Possible (AMRAP)

In 10 minutes do as many rounds as possible of the following sequence:

• 10 sit ups
• 10 push ups
• 10 burpees

Tuesday – 5 Rounds

Do 5 rounds of the following exercises, ensuring you are using the correct technique:

• 20 jumping jacks
• 10 push ups
• 30 mountain climbers
• 30-second plank
• 20 squats

Wednesday – 20 Minute AMRAP

• 30 jumping jacks
• 30 high knees
• 10 squats
• 10 push ups
• 20 alternating lunges
• 30 sec wall sit

Thursday – 5 Rounds

Do five rounds of the following exercises:

• 10 chair dips
• 10 push ups
• 25 vertical jumps
• 50 sit ups
• 1 minute jump rope
• 30-second plank

Friday – AMRAP

• 10 push ups
• 40 high knees
• 30 mountain climbers
• 20 burpees

Saturday – 5 Rounds

• 1 minute jump rope
• 20 vertical jumps
• 20 squats
• 20 sit ups

Sunday – AMRAP

Who said that Sunday was a day of rest? Get these done early in the day, and you can feel virtuous for the rest of the day:

• 20 squats
• 20 burpees
• 20 push ups
• 20 high knees
• 20 mountain climbers

Well done! You made it through the week. You have survived, and you can feel proud of your achievements for the week. Each cycle will of the weekly plan will get more comfortable as you build strength, endurance, and flexibility. Stick to it, and you will be filled with body confidence before you know it.